ITEXPO is Around the Corner: Do You Have a Story to Tell?

Every year, the weeks leading up to TMC’s ITEXPO event, one of the largest business technology conferences, feel a bit like the weeks leading up to the first day of school. The excitement is palpable, the nervous energy is at an all-time high and everyone is wondering, “How will the first few days go?”

That’s because whether you are a sponsor, exhibitor, speaker or participant, you understand—as is the case with any trade show—that your time at the convention is valuable. You understand that every second spent on the trade show floor and in a session are crucial seconds spent away from your home office. Simply put, you understand that you need to make every minute count.

If you are joining us in sunny Miami the last week of January (as TMC’s custom publishing division, Content Boost will be making big waves at the event!), then we look forward to learning more about your company, meeting with some of your leading company representatives and hearing the story of your brand.

So this begs the question, do you have a story to tell?

Whether you are attending ITEXPO, an upcoming event or just scheduling a meeting with a prospective client in a few days, everyone from your marketing team to your sales force to your ops staffers needs to know the story of your brand. Any opportunity to interact with an outside party is an ideal time to spread the message of your company, elucidate on your value proposition and highlight your chief differentiators.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to telling your story:

Get excited: It doesn’t matter if you are on a packed trade show floor with dozens of booth visitors or one-on-one with a prospective client; if you are not excited about your company’s tale, then why should anyone else?

Make it compelling: The goal with each and every new interaction should be to show—not tell—your company’s story. Demonstrate why you are making waves in your market, why your customers trust you with their business and why others should cast an eye toward your organization. Keep your story rife with descriptive language, use cases and analogies and watch their eyes light up.

Know your audience: While your corporate story will never change, the chapters you choose to share should vary with each audience. Depending on who you are selling to, change up your story pitch. Share what’s relevant to them. Don’t waste their time spewing out tales that have no relevance to their core business model.

Keep it short: Do more listening and less talking. The only way to truly spread your corporate messaging—and possibly secure the sale—is to really understand your prospect and allow them to drive the conversation.

If you are heading to Miami in just a few days, we can’t wait to see you there! Tweet at us or comment below to set up a meeting with the Content Boost team and perhaps we can help you figure out ways to tell your story even better.